NEED FOR RECRUITS

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 75, 26 September 1916, Page 8

NEED FOR RECRUITS

WELLINGTON'S RESPONSE

STILL 41 MEN SHORT FOR THE , •** 21sts. ij

The prospect of getting sufficient recruits to fill up the vacancies in the 21st Reinforcements still appears to be far from bright, if Wellington city may be quoted as a case in point. A week ago, it will be remembered, the city was 72 men short for the. 21st Reinforcements, and in common with other districts was' given until to-day to make up the 'deficiency. This morning, however, only 29 of the men required materialised, leaving the city still 41 men short. The names' of the men who went into camp to-day are,as under: — Artillery: D. Ferguson, G. R. Downes, W. E. J. Smith.

Mounted Rifles: W. Baldwin, J. E. Catt, W. R. Casey, J. C. Henry, A. C. Roud, 0. J. Hodgson, C. H. Hine. Infantry: H. Mulholland, T. C. Morris, P. B. Forrest, D. Davies, A. T. Baker (miner, Reefton), J. T. O'Gorman, F. Young, M. Hempton, J. Hill, T. W Hughes, E. Fenton, R. D. Forbes, A. H. Higgison, W. Potter, C. W. J. Aynesley, P. Crane. Engineers: H. J. O'Sullivan. Infantry n.c.o.'s: W. Dally, C. -N. Bradley. The response has thus been most disappointing, and it is hoped that action will >et be taken by the local authorise to secure the number of voluntary recruits'* required. . In the meantime the whole of the city's -recruiting is being done, at the Town Hall, where Lieut'. Mellor is in charge. Since yesterday he has registered some fifteen, men, and some six of these have been passed as fit, and_ having been sworn in have been paid 5s each as representing a day's pay. . These men are now members of tho Expeditionary Force, and will be required to -go into camp, on the dates for which they have signified their preference during the neit, three months, to which enlistment is now restricted.

In consequence of the new arrangement, the Town Hall Recruiting Committee, which has had an office^ in the Town Hall during the past ten months for the purpose of enlisting recruits, ceased its labours as from Saturday last. The committee during these ton months did much food woz-k, registering over 5000 men, and having done the work voluntarily is entitled to the public's thanks.